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How to Overcome the Problem of Misfuelling

Putting the wrong type of fuel into a vehicles is more common than you might imagine. According to statistics released by the¬†AA, at least 150,000 drivers put the wrong type of fuel into their vehicles every year. If this ever does occur, it is important that it is remedied as soon as possible as it could have severe consequences to the health of your vehicle.

If you realise that you have put the wrong type of fuel into your vehicle, you should not attempt to turn on the ignition or start the engine as this will circulate the contaminated fuel and increase the risk of incurring expensive damage to the vehicle engine. This makes it even important that drivers are aware of the effects that misfuelling problems can have and to avoid putting the wrong type of fuel into their vehicles at all costs.

If it is identified as soon as it has happened, overcoming misfuelling problems is possible.¬†FMP Motor Factors¬†have created a guide explaining how with the use of a¬†car tool¬†like a fuel drainer, putting the wrong type of fuel can be rectified, if caught soon enough.

The Effects Of Incorrect Fuel

As it was mentioned previously, putting the incorrect fuel into your vehicles will likely lead to expensive damage to the engine being caused. If incorrect fuel is put into a vehicle, it is important that it is caught as soon as possible because as soon as the engine is turned on, the contaminated fuel will be circulated around the engine. This will cause extensive damage being caused to the engine and will likely result in the engine failing. This will mean that it will require a large amount of money for a new engine to be purchased and fitted.

Misfuelling is more commonly associated with putting petrol into diesel vehicles by mistake. This is mainly due to the growing popularity of diesels as well as the fact that petrol pump nozzles are smaller than the nozzles on diesel pumps. This makes making an easy mistake by the driver very easy especially if their attention is distracted.

Diesel fuel pumps have very fine tolerances and are¬†lubricated by the fuel itself. When petrol is present in diesel it acts as a solvent, which reduces the lubrication and can subsequently cause serious damage due to the metal-to-metal contact within the pump. If allowed to continue, tiny metal particles can find their way into the fuel which can then cause further damage to the rest of the fuel system, including the injectors.

¬†Overcoming Misfuelling Problems

If you realise that you have put the incorrect fuel into your vehicle as soon as it has been done, it is possible to remedy the situation. With the use of a fuel drainer unit, all of the fuel can be drained from the engine system and eliminate the risk of damage being caused. This type of car tool is very extensive and complicated, so only registered motor factor garages will provide these fuel drainers. So as soon as you encounter any misfuelling problems, you should contact your local garage immediately.

There are commonly two models of fuel drainer available (at 40ltrs and 90ltrs capacity) and both are¬†Sira certificated¬†as being ‚Äėexplosion proof‚Äô for use with fuels and vapours. The task of draining fuel from an engine is rather complicated, so here are the 6 steps that need to be carried out when draining fuel.

Ensure the vehicle is positioned in a well-ventilated area away from any flammable risks (by an open door is ideal). Connect the fume extraction system, and insert the fume extraction hose into fuel tank. The fume extraction system ensures no dangerous fumes are left in the tank as the fuel is removed.

For safety, attach the earth wires to minimise risk of sparks. The fuel drainer itself is operated by an air venturi system.

Select the appropriate fuel extraction hose and connect to the fuel drainer.

Insert the fuel suction hose into the fuel tank.

Before operation, make sure you check all safety valves.

Open the valve and begin fuel draining. When the tank is empty, close the valves and remove the suction hose.

FMP Motor Factors¬†provide high quality¬†car parts,¬†car tools¬†and¬†accessories, such as fuel drainer units, as well as general motoring advice to our customers¬†across all of South Wales including Swansea¬†and Bridgend. At FMP Motor Factors we work with a wide network of garages and car dealers as well as individual car owners to provide the best car parts, as well as offering advice on a wide range of motoring issues.